"Ugh..."
In a stone chamber within Hell Valley's forbidden grounds, Raikage A opened his eyes. His body and hands were bound in chains, and his chakra had been drained dry. He could not muster even a shred of strength.
He sat in a monster's shadow.
Before him stood a five-meter-long black gorilla, its body studded with Black Receivers. It bared its fangs, staring at the man before it with two enormous Rinnegan eyes.
Without a doubt, this gorilla was one of Naruto's Animal Path summons.
"Yo... you're awake."
The speaker was a meter-long parrot perched on the gorilla's shoulder. Black Receivers pierced its wings and back, and its eyes were also Rinnegan.
"!?" Under the Raikage's startled, suspicious gaze, the parrot said, "Don't be surprised. These are my summons, Mighty Vajra and Sakura Bro..."
The Raikage said, "Your summons can even speak for you!?"
The parrot said, "Talking is Sakura Bro's specialty. As for Mighty Vajra, in terms of brute strength alone, he probably surpasses you..."
The Raikage roared, "Are you saying I can't even beat this gorilla!?"
The parrot said, "I never said that. Don't read too much into it..."
"..." The Raikage seethed. Looking at his bandaged shoulder, he demanded, "Why didn't you kill me!?"
The parrot said, "Unless someone gets in my way or crosses a line they shouldn't, I generally don't take lives..."
The Raikage snapped, "You mean I pose no threat to you!?"
The parrot said helplessly, "If that's how you want to take it... there's nothing I can do."
The Raikage shouted, "I get it! You're deliberately humiliating me! A warrior would rather die than suffer disgrace! Kill me already!"
The parrot said, "I'm busy. There's a wall behind you. Go bang your head against it..."
On the training platform within the forbidden